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Review:
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League of Lights, created around gorgeous singer Farrah
West, is very much a league of leading lights in contemporary
music, masterminded by Threshold keyboarder and husband
Richard West with Ruud Jolie from the mighty Within Temptation
on guitar, Fates Warning's drummer Mark Zonder and bassist
Jerry Meehan who has played with such luminaries as Robbie
Williams, Chris de Burgh and Brian Ferry. They describe
themselves as “a modern melodic rock group with 80's pop
sensibilities”, I would interpret that as a mix of Wetton/Downes
Icon melodic rock, Guy Chamber's knack for a great tune,
a hint of Bangles catchiness and a spot of modern prog here
and there resulting in fresh, vibrant and sumptuous symphonic
rock framing Farrah's wonderful effortless understated vocals.
She sings the songs beautifully and emotively without ever
resorting to any wailing or screaming, relying on tone,
timbre, melody and clarity rather than most vocalists today
who feel the need to over sing, the very opposite of what
I call the “X Factor burst a blood-vessel style”. Richard's
crystal clear production allows you to hear every nuance
of the music, power is applied with restraint and at exactly
the right moments, the sound is subtle instead of bombastic,
very different to Within Temptations 80's infused 'The Unforgiving'
which might appear on paper very similar, especially with
Ruud playing on both, the yin to their yang. Lyrically they
also remind me of Icon, where John Wetton's lyrics are far
more personal than those for Asia, dealing with life, faith,
hope and love, “The artists paints the day, A story to be
told, And everything you need, Is there for you to hold”
(Animé). The songs are draped in lush luxurious string sounds,
full of memorable choruses, laden with hooks, decorated
by Richards piano and modern keyboards, and imbued with
Ruud's crunchy but not metal rhythm guitars and occasional
trademark chordal leads. They offer a balanced blend of
more up-tempo, up-beat tunes like 'I'm Alive', 'Cover Me
Now' and 'Heaven Sent a Star', punctuated at regular intervals
by delightful reflective ballads such as 'Last Sunset' and
'You Light My Way'. Given the right push and airplay this
superbly written, performed and produced album could be
massive in the mainstream, it has that right mix of outstanding
musicianship and accessible songs that will appeal to a
very broad spectrum of rock music lovers, as well as prog
and metal fans thanks to their lineage. If you like top
quality sophisticated melodic rock then light your way to
their league at http://www.leagueoflights.com/
, the album is also available from CD Baby, a most illuminating
9 out of 10.
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